Benjamin fiunklin edmands



@atten tatre atent @fitta BENIAMIN FRANKLIN EDMA-NDS, OF BOSTON,ANDJAMES IIAMBLET, JR., OF OHARLESTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS.

.Letters Patent No. 71,470, dated November 2G, 1867.

Mge Sagitta maar tu im tlgese tettets ateut mit mating ant .of tigesame.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY OONCERN:

Beit known that we, BENJAMIN FRANKLIAT EDnANDs, of Boston, in the countyof Suffolk, and State of' Massachusetts, and JAMES HAMBLET, Jr.,ofOharlestown, in the county of Middlesex, and State aforesaid, haveinvented an Improvement in Escapement ot' Electric Clocks and DialIndicators," and we do hereby declare that the following is a full andexact description of the construction and use of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figuresmarked thereon.

Figure I is a front view of the instrument, and

Figure II is a side view of thc same.

The invention consists-ot a combination of the common form of anescape-wheel, with the arrangement and use thereof, in connection with amagnet, armature, bent lever, spring, and other' mechanism, ashereinafter described, its construction being such as to insure apositive movement of the escape-wheel and the advance of one tooth atevery successive impulse, this effect being always produced, althoughthe power ofthe battery and magnet (or other motor) may he variable.

In the drawings,ithe escape-wheel W is shown fixed upon its arbor, Z,but in a position the reverse of that proper for a clock orwatch-movement. The arbor Z is extended through the dial-plate Y, andcarries an index,

' I, or it may be made to actuate motion work7 to carry a minute and anhour-index. The reversal of the wheel upon its arbor, mentioned above,is to insure the motion in the direction of the arrow, when operatedupon by the pallets P P'. These pallets are not tixed at their relativedistance apart by attachment to a rigid 'bar or anchor-piece, but arecarried upon the pallet-bars B and B', which, in their turn, are mountedupon the springs S S. These springs are xed to the bent lever L L', nearits fulcrum or centre of motion, A, and at the upper end ofthe leverthere is aiiixed a cross-piece, T T', of suiiicient length to extend adistance a little less than from one pallet-bar to the other, when theinstrument is at rest.

The action of these parts is as follows: The lower arm of the lever L islimited in its action by bankingscrews F F', or any equivalent device,to that degree of motion sucient to move the cross or anchor-piece T T',just enough to drive the palletsP P' alternately into and out fromspaces between the teeth ofthe wheel W.

The instrument being at rest, as shown in Fig. I, and having its springsS S'vso adjusted, as regards their power, that they impcl thepallet-bars B B' and the pallets P P' towards the line of centralmotion, as represented in the drawings, the pallet P being shown pushedout from between the teeth of thewh'eel W, while the end T' of thc crossor anchor-piece has left the pallet-bar B', and allowed the spring S',on the opposite side, to push the pallet P' into the space between theteeth of the wheel.

New, on applying any power, as an electro-magnet and armature, M G, (thearmature G being aiiixed to the free end of the lever L,) to lift thelever L, the cross or anchor-piece T T', at the other end of the angularlever, turns on its fulcrum or arbor A, and will be so moved as towithdraw its end, T, from the pallet-bar B, and allow the palletP toenter the space between the teeth of the wheel W, and to come intocontact with the tooth just above it, when the pallet P will begin topress, under the inuence of the spring S attached to its pallet-bar B,and to push the wheel forward in the direction of the arrow. While thisis taking place, the crossA piece at the end T' will have passed overthe distance, shown in the drawing, between itself` and the pallet-barB', and will begin to act upon it. At this point of time, both of thepallets I and I7l will be between the teeth of the wheel W. The pressureat the end T' being continued until the lever L L' completes itsvibration, will have the effect to push out the pallet P', when thepallet'I will instantly propel the wheel W by the power ot' its springS,fand drive the index I one division forward on the dial Y, while thoaction of both springs prevents any tripping or receding of the wheel.

Any power which will eect a vibratory movement of the lever L L', willactnatc this escapement, while the instrument may be placed in anyposition, thus doing away with the element of gravity in the lever Lheretofore required when the electro-magnetic force, with the current none direction, is used. The instrument is thus adapted for use at sea. i

The instrument, as above described, is complete, and suitable for use,combining` the power of an electro= magnet, or other motor, with theconjoined action of two springs, carrying two pallets, which act uponopposite sides oi'- the escapement-wheel, imparting to it a positivemotion entirely independent of gravity or any other power than thatderived from the motion of the free end of the lever L. In some cases,for convenience of adjustment, to prevent any excess of motion of thesprings outwardly, and to insure to the pallets a firm hold upon theWheel W, we apply two studs or pins, V V', one at each end of the crossor anchor-piece T T', their position being outside ofthe pallet-bars BB'; also, to insure a more steady or uniform motion, and to aord themeans of accurate adjustment of the straight springs and the'pallet-bars, we use a spiral spring, K, which extends from the bar B tothe bar B', the ends oi' the spring being fastened respectively to eachbar. Great delicacy of adjustment is thus secured, and the instrumentmade capable of the most rapid action.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is A Theconstruction of an escapement, in which the pallets are resilient, beingattached to the end of springs or spring-bars, instead of to a rigid baror anchor-piece, so that one pallet will always enter between the teethon one side of the escape-Wheel before the other is entirely pushed frombetween the teeth on the other side of the wheel, and in such mannerthat the power of the'spring ofthe entering pallet renders theaetion ofthe pallet first propulsive and then detentive to the escape-wheel,substantially as herein described.

We claim the anchor-shaped independent levers L T T', or theirequivalent, to actuate the movements of the pallets P P' to and fro, andcause them alternately to enter and leave the teeth of the escape-wheel,as herein described.

In combination with the resilient pallets and springs, and the bentlever, we claim the binding-spring K, and the stops or guards V V',substantially as herein described, and for the purpose specified.

B. F. EDMANDS, [L s] JAMESHAMBLET, JR. [Ll S.]

Witnesses:

Gno. L. ANDERS,l Gao. W CnoA'rE.

